We would need to hack into Rebekah Brooks‘s phone to find out if she has ridden with the hunt recently – and the Morning Star doesn’t do phone-hacking – but we do know her husband Charlie Brooks is a keen and regular rider with the Heythrop.

Top Gear’s Jeremy Clarkson is reported to regularly welcome the riders and their pack of hounds to chase foxes on his land.

In court the hunt, Heythrop Hunt Limited, pleaded guilty to four charges of intentionally hunting a fox with dogs.

This is believed to be the first prosecution of a hunt itself under the fox-hunting ban, although there have been nearly 200 prosecutions of individuals for flouting the law.

In court Heythrop hunt member Richard Sumner and hunt servant Julian Barnfield both also pleaded guilty to four charges of unlawfully hunting a wild fox with dogs.

The RSPCA said the hunt was filmed killing foxes on several occasions.

Heythrop Hunt Limited was fined a total of £4,000 with £15,000 costs.

Barnfield, of Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire, was fined £1,000, with costs of £2,000.

Sumner, of Salperton, Gloucestershire, was fined a total of £1,800 with costs of £2,500.

The court case and conviction have rattled the Tory countryside Establishment.

He described the amount of money the RSPCA spent on the prosecution as “quite staggering.”

Judge Tim Pattinson added: “Members of the public may feel that RSPCA funds can be more usefully employed.”

Most members of the public will disagree with the judge and congratulate the animal charity on money well spent.

The RSPCA explained it felt it necessary to bring the prosecution itself because in the past it had passed evidence of similar cases to the Crown Prosecution Service only to find long delays and a final decision not to take the matter to court.

After the hearing RSPCA chief executive Gavin Grant said: “These defendants were well aware that they were breaking the law in that their actions would lead to a fox being torn apart by dogs.”

The Heythrop Hunt, one of the most high-profile in the country, has been an important part of life for the notorious Chipping Norton set.

Each Boxing Day crowds gather to see the hunt and its famous faces in Chipping Norton Market Square. No doubt the guilty plea and fines won’t stop the bloody display this Christmas.

The RSPCA deserves praise for having the courage to bring this prosecution when the whole weight of the countryside Tory Establishment was against them.

Old Reynard the fox and all real country lovers owe them a huge debt of thanks.

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Banning a blood sport

On November 18 2004 hunting with dogs was banned in England and Wales. Scotland had banned hunting in 2002.

Even before the Hunting Act came into law many hunters announced their intention to flout the law.

A “hunting declaration” organised by right-wing activist Roger Scruton scraped up 50,000 signatures from people prepared to break the law in the event of a hunting ban.